National Advocacy Advisor
- Career Category: Advisor / Individual Consultant, Advocacy
- Schedule:Part-time
- Salary: N/A
Program: CAPRED-INSIGHT
Period of Assignment: July – September 2026
Duration: Up to 15 days
Time Commitment: Part-time, Flexible
Location: Phnom Penh, Cambodia (remote & in-person engagements primarily at Cambodian Women Entrepreneurs Association (CWEA) and the Asia Foundation)
Type of Assignment: Individual Consultant
Travel: No travel outside Phnom Penh is expected.
Scope of Work
The Consultant will support CAPRED-INSIGHT to strengthen the foundation for CWEA's future advocacy and sustainability work. The assignment will focus on reviewing CWEA's current advocacy and communication practices, identifying priority issues and stakeholder engagement opportunities, and developing high-level technical advocacy strategy to integrate evidence-based advocacy for CWEA and its members, for instance in policy advocacy and in strengthening influence with private sector and government stakeholders. Moreover, in consultations with CWEA board members and secretariat, the Consultant will develop a Job Description for the Advocacy role for CWEA.
Deliverables
- TOR for a Future Advocacy Officer
- A draft TOR for a dedicated full-time Advocacy Officer position to support and coordinate CWEA's advocacy, stakeholder engagement, and communication efforts moving forward.
- Practical Advocacy Strategy and Communication Plan (5-8 pages excluding annexes) outlining:
- Current challenges, risks, strengths, and opportunities
- CWEA Advocacy vision
- Advocacy objectives and priorities
- Key stakeholders and engagement approaches
- Core advocacy messages
- Recommended communication activities and channels, including within CWEA
- Suggested implementation actions for the next 12-24 months.
- One presentation/workshop with the CWEA Board and Secretariat to introduce the strategy and discuss initial implementation priorities
- Review CWEA’s Current Advocacy and Communication Practices
- Meet with CWEA Board members, Secretariat staff, and selected stakeholders to understand current advocacy activities, challenges, and opportunities.
- Review relevant CWEA documents (strategic policies, White Paper, members surveys results, etc.), previous advocacy efforts, and existing communication materials.
- Identify policy influence challenges, risks, and opportunities for improving systemic change and policy advocacy that support women-led/women-owned enterprises and CWEA members.
- Develop a Terms of Reference (TOR) for a Future Advocacy Officer Position
- Assess the organizational support required to strengthen CWEA's advocacy function.
- Develop a TOR for a future Advocacy Officer position at CWEA, including key responsibilities, qualifications, reporting arrangements, and expected outputs.
- Develop a Practical Advocacy Strategy and Communication Plan
- As a result of the above tasks on analysis of challenges, risks, strengths, and opportunities of CWEA and its members on influence and policy reforms, identify key advocacy priorities relevant to CWEA members and women-owned businesses.
- Identify advocacy opportunities and policy platforms (i.e, the Government-Private Sector Forum (G-PSF), ASEAN, The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), etc.) for influence.
- Map key stakeholders and engagement opportunities. Develop a short, practical, and evidence-based advocacy strategy outlining objectives, workplan, priority issues, target audiences, key messages, and engagement approaches.
- Develop a short, practical, complementary communication plan to support advocacy efforts, including recommended communication channels, products, and activities. This includes an awareness raising plan for CWEA’s policy priorities.
- Khmer - Fluent
- English - Fluent
- Master's Degree
- Bachelor's Degree in public policy, political science, communications, business administration, international development, social sciences, or a related field
- Professional experience in advocacy, public policy, communications, organizational development, or private sector development for 7 years as a minimum
- Demonstrated experience working with business membership organizations, chambers of commerce, for-profit associations, or private sector to strengthen advocacy and stakeholder engagement functions.
- Experience working with for-profit organizations, multistakeholder platforms, and the private sector is a plus.
- Proven experience developing advocacy strategies, campaigns, communication strategies, or similar organizational planning documents.
- Strong understanding of Cambodia's policy, governance, and business environment, particularly issues affecting MSMEs and women-owned businesses.
- Familiarity with advocacy approaches related to economic development, private sector development, women's economic empowerment, or MSME policy reform.
- Strong facilitation and capacity-building skills.
- Ability to synthesize complex findings into clear, actionable insights
- Fluency in Khmer (spoken and written).
- Strong command of English (spoken and written).
- Cambodian nationality is required.
- Flexibility and ability to work independently.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
- Proactive, adaptable, and resourceful approach to problem-solving.
